Liquid-fuel vaporizer



G. P. EUSTIS.

LIQUID FUEL vAPomzEH. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 9. |920.

Patented Nw. 291921'.

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- ATTORNEYS.

G. P. EUSTIS. LIQUID FUEL VAPORIZER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 9. 1920.

Patanted Novn 29, 1921.

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GEORG-E P. EUSTIS, 0F VJASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LIQUID-FUEL VASEORIZEBI.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patgmged NV. 29, QZL

Application filed November 9, 1920. Serial No'. 422,897.

To all whom tmay concern:

Be it known that I, Giionoii P. EUs'ris, citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Fuel Vaporizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for the vaporization of alcohol in internal combustion engines and it has particular relation to the use of such enginesas are adapted for cated has been tried many times but it hasI not so far resulted successfully both from a practical and from a commercial standpoint. The present high price of gasolene, however, has opened the way for its success as a commercial venture, if practical means can be found for its vaporization.` One of the obstacles to its successful use is because of the fact that alcohol will not explode unless highly heated before it enters the carburetor and the presence of a continued flame for this purpose, has been found impractical for many reasons.

One object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for heating the mechanism initially.

Another object is to provide a satisfactory heater which will obviate the necessity of a continued flame to heat the alcohol 4before passing it into the carburetor of the en 111e.

ne of the materials to be employed for In addition to this fact it is f taining its shape under such high temperature. Asbestos has kbeen found a satisfactorysubstance for this purpose and this I fashion into a shell or cylinder provided with numerous apertures through which the heat may pass. rIhe other ingredient which I have found `necessary to be combined with the asbestos, to accomplish the ob]- ect in view consists of metallic particles, such as particles of tin, aluminum, copper and platinum. Carborundum also may be used, although I prefer aluminum or copper to the other two.

This cylinder constituting a heater or stove I iuclose in a vessel or chamber, and heat by a flame for a shortperiod, until it glows red, whenthe source of heat is shut off, and alcohol is permitted to come in contact with it. Under such condition, the state of red glow is maintained so long as the alcohol is supplied.

With these and other objects in View which may be incident to my improvements', the invention consists in the parts and coinbinatioiis to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my iiivention, may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I `have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the saine into practical effect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

`Figure l is a side elevation of my device showing the saine connected with the carbureter of an internal col ibustion engine, and showing the manifold in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the housing removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional lview of the device. l

Fig. a is a horizontal sectional view'on the line c of Fig. 3, and

lEig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the heater. y The numeral 1, refers to a small tank or Vor other similar material.

reservoir mounted upon the fore part of a chassis of an automobile, the bottom Wall of Which is provided with an interiorly screw threaded block or lug 2, for a purpose Which Will hereinafter appear. The side Walls 3, of the tank extendL upwardly and then converge toward one another for a short dis tance forming the upper wall or top 4, of the tank; they then turn upwardlyy again makinga flange 5, thus leaving the greater portion of the top open.

Over the fiange 5, ,and resting upon the top by means of the outwardly extending annular bottom portion G, is a cylindrical casing or housing 8, and Within the loWer portion of said housing, is a base or bottom 9, With a turned down edge 10. l'This edge 10, a portion of the housing 8, and the upper flangep, are all securely fastened together by means of rivets or bolts 11. The upper part of the casing 8, is provided With a cover 12 haying a turned-down edge 13, fastened to the top by means of'rivets or bolts 14. rlhetop is apertured and theupturned edges 15 surround the bottom of the pipe 16. f Y A Y Positioned vupon the bottom ofthe tank and extending in a vertical plane is an upright or rod 19, screw threaded at its lower end, so as to fit, and belirmly seated Within the screw threaded block 2, heretofore referred to. This upright extends through an opening inthe bottom of the cylinder, and terminates at its upper end just above the top of the cylinder, its object is to position the stove or heater to be hereinafter described. Y

Located Within the tank and extending up through an opening in the base 9, in the bottom wall of the cylindrical casing 8, is a circular Wick 21, preferably of asbestos Above this and resting thereupon isl a stove or heater 22. This stove is composed of a composition consisting of asbestos, or other similar material, and of small metallic particles of tin, aluminum, copper or platinum and other metals. The heater is of cylindrical configuration, and has hole 23, extending through its longitudinal axis. lts sides are pierced With aV series of longitudinal apertures 24, extending therethrough, as more clearly seen in Figs. 3, and 5, and it is made to fit over vthe upright 19, and to sit upon, and be in close physical contact, With the upper edge of the Wick 21. The capillarity of the Wick 21, Will not only draw up into itself the fuel alcohol in the tank 1, but Will communicate it to the heater 22, Which being made of similar material, Will by reason of its oWn capillarity, absorb from the Wick to is aV copper coil or pipeV 24E', Which com-v municates at the bottom With a pipe 25, eX- tending to the usual fuel tank (not shown) mounted upon the car. `When said tank is filled With alcohol, the latter flows through the pipe 25 to and through the coil 24L, and thence to the carbureter. A smaller pipe 26, joins the pipe 25, at some point before it reaches the copper coil, and through it the small tank 1, receives its supply of alcohol. rhere is a cock 27, located at or near the small tank, so as to properly regulate lthe supply.

The housing 8, is provided with an opening Which is closed by a door 29, secured to theV casing by hinges 30. On the door is located al knob 31, and latch (not'shown) by Which it may be tightly closed. To one side ofthe door, is shown an'opemng cov-V ered by a line screen v32, on each side of Which Vare guideways 33,-Yfor a slide 84C, the latter having a knob 35. The slide moves in these guide-Ways 33, and may be pushed back and forth, so as toV increase or decrease theV size of the opening. Extending from the top of the cylinder is the pipe 16, heretofore adverted to, Which traverses alongside the manifold for a portion of its length, and imparts heat thereto and its farther end communicates with the carbureter at 36. In this pipe, at the point and also at the point 3S, l locate a Wire screen as clearly shown in F ig. 1, the purpose of Which'is to retard somewhat the passage of air, so that it may not lose its heat.

he operation of my device is as foll0Ws:-- Y

rlhe usual fuel supply tank of the car is lled with alcohol,this flows under the pres sure of an air pump, or the so-called vacuum system, through the pipe 25 to the coilr24, and also through the feed pipe 26 to the small tank 1. To light the Wick the'door 2,9, of the cylindrical housing' 8, is opened and the damper or slide 34,-, is likewise opened so as to permit of the passage of a current of air through the housing and the pipe 16, to the carbureter. I then apply a match to the wick 21, and the latter limmediately ignites, the flame furnishing the heat tothe stove or heater 22. l/Vhen the stove 22 reaches the state of a red glow, it is'not necessary that the iame should be further maintained, for the'alcohol as it is sucked by the Wick and through the wick into the stove burns immediately it touches the stove, Y

Vup through the pipe 16 to the carbureter.

The heatradiated from the stove is Vcommunicated to the surrounding copper coil '24', andthe alcohol therein is so highly heated that upon its entrance in the carbureter,'it readily evaporlzes and is suitable for introduction into the cylinders of the engine.

lVhile 1 have shown and described the preferred embodiment or" my invention, I wish it tobe understood that I do not contine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many modifications and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.`

I claim 1. A method of burning alcohol without a visible ame which consists in causing the alcohol to be absorbed by a stove comprising a porous and mineral body, supplying oxygen thereto, igniting the body and maintaining a ame until the same is at a red glow, shutting oil the supply orn oxygen until the flame is extinguished, then admitting oxygen in sufficient quantities only to maintain the stove at a red glow and without a visible llame. l

2. A method of burning alcohol without a visible flame which consists in causing the alcohol to be absorbed by a stove comprising a porous fire-resistent body and mineral particles, supp-lying oxygen thereto, igniting the body and maintaining a flame until the same is at a red glow, shutting oil the supply oi oxygen until the flame is extinguished, then admitting oxygen in suilicient quantities only to maintain the stove at a red glow and without a visible flame.

3. A method of burning alcohol without visible llame which consists in causing the alcohol to be absorbed by a stove provided with a series of apertures and consisting or" a porous tire-resistent body and mineral particles, supplying Voxygen thereto, igniting the body and maintaining a flame until the same is at a red glow, shutting off the supply of oxygen until the llame is extinguished, then admitting oxygen in suiiicient quantities only to maintain the stove at a red glow and without a visible flame.

4. A stove for burning alcohol comprising a porous fire-resistent material and mineral particles molded together and provided with apertures for the admission of air whereby alcohol may be burned without a visible flame.

5. A stove for burning alcohol comprising a porous fire-resistent absorbent material and mineral particles molded into a shell and provided with a series of apertures for the admission of air whereby alcohol may be burned without a visible flame.

6. A stove for burning alcohol consisting of a porous reresistent absorbent material and mineral particles molded into cylindrical form and provided with a series ci horizontal apertures for the admission of air whereby alcohol may be'burned without a visible llame.

7. A stove for burning alcohol consisting of a porous tire-resistent absorbent material and mineral particles molded into cylindrical i'orm and provided with horizontal and vertical apertures for the admission of air whereby alcohol may be burned without a visible ame.

8. A stove for burning alcohol consisting of a porous tire-resistent material and cop-- per particles molded into a shell and provided with apertures, whereby alcohol may be burned without a visible ilame.

9. The combination with an alcohol lamp, and a stove composed ofire-resistent absorbentk material and mineral particles molded together, of a wick in Contact with the lamp and stovey from which the stove receives a s upply of alcohol through capillary attraction.

10. The combination with an alcohol lamp, and a stove composed of fire-resistent absorbent material and copper particles molded together, of a wick in contact with the lamp and stove from which said stove receives a supply or" alcohol through a capillary attraction.

11. A vaporizer for alcohol engines comprising a stove consisting of porous hre-resistent absorbent material and mineral particles molded together, a wick in contact with a source of alcohol and the stove from which the latter receives a supply of alcohol through capillary attraction, a coil of pipe surrounding the stove and receiving heat therefrom through which coil alcohol is conveyed from a source of supply to the carbureter of the engine.

12. A vaporizer for alcohol engines comprising a stove consisting of porous lire-resistent absorbent material and mineral particles molded together, a wick in contact with a source of alcohol and the stove, from which the latter receives its supply of alcohol, a coil of pipe surrounding the stove and receiving heat therefrom, through which coil alcohol is conveyed from a source of supply to the carbureter 01"' the engine, and a housing inclosing the stove and coil.

13. A vaporizer for alcohol engines comprising a stove consisting of a porous fireresistent absorbent material and mineral particles, a wick in contact with a source ot alcohol and the stove, from which the latter receives its supply of alcohol, a coil of pipe surrounding the stove and receiving heat therefrom through which coil alcohol is conveyed from a source of supply to the carbureter of the engine, and a housing provided with a door and a damper inclosing the stove and coil.

14. A vaporizer for alcohol engines comprising a stove consisting of a porous fireresistent absorbent material and 'mineral through which coilalcohol is conveyed from particles molded together, a reservoir for ala source of supply to the carbureter of the cohol upon Which said stove is mounted, a engine and a, housing inclosing the stove and i0 Wick in Contact with the alcohol anfl'with coil. the Stove, from which the stove receives its In testimony vvhereofl afiX mysgnature. supply of alcohol, a coil of pipe surroundf Y ing the stove and receiving heat therefrom, GEORGE P.` EUSTIS. 

